Vintage garbage

A very large heap of compost, now ready after months of happy biochemical transformations, is being given away free to Montreal gardeners beginning Friday morning. The compost is the nutrient-rich by-product of tons of rotted grass cuttings and raked-up leaves, matured to perfection over the past three years. >> Compost is now used by the city of Montreal for its gardens, flower displays and planters. Its use, according to Hélène Dubé of Éco-Quartier St-Michel, has saved the city a substantial amount of money on fertilizer costs. >> This past summer, the city expanded its composting project to include a pilot brown box program for household collection in 10 City districts. But that compost, rife with banana peels and pizza crusts, won't be ready for another couple of years. >> The distribution of this year's harvest takes place Friday, Oct. 10 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Saturday Oct. 11 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the St-Michel Environmental Complex at the corner of Jarry E. and d'Iberville. Bring proof of Montreal residency, and containers. --Jacquie Charlton